ANTIGONISH – About 1,000 St. Francis Xavier University graduates received degrees and diplomas during Spring Convocation at the Charles V. Keating Centre recently.
Receiving honorary degrees during 2011 Spring Convocation were Wallace McCain, vice-chairman and director of McCain Foods Group; the Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, an activist, advocate, philanthropist, and chair of the Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation; Rosemary Scanlon, a leading urban economist and academic; Roseann O’Reilly Runte, president and vice-chancellor of Carleton University; and Guy Savard, chairman of Merrill Lynch Canada.
The address to graduates during the morning convocation was given by Scanlon. “St. FX has been so important to me in my life,” said Scanlon, a leading expert in regional and urban economics and St. FX alumnus.
A graduate during the 1960s, she spoke of the different challenges faced today. At the time jobs were plentiful, but today people graduating face difficult global economic times and shortages of natural resources.
Canadians will be at the forefront of challenges as resources like fresh water, fuel and global warming continue to become more prevalent in our societies, she added, telling the graduates that their ideas and challenges can make a difference in a quickly changing global environment.
Addressing graduates of the afternoon convocation was O’Reilly Runte, president and vice-chancellor of Carleton University. She discussed how her numerous experiences around the globe helped her become more grateful of every day.
Hope can be realized even in unfortunate disasters that are happening around the world today such as in Haiti and Japan, she said. If anything, people come together and are inspired because these bring out the best in humanity.
"Today is a day of individual achievement for you and a collective achievement for the university in its 158th year," said Dr. Sean Riley, President of St. FX who celebrated with graduates and family members.
List of Pictou County graduates
Bachelor of Education:
Edwin Bert Anderson, Trenton
Robyn Joy Dickie, Trenton
Greg Robert Haley, Pictou
Elizabeth Lynn Hart-Saulnier, New Glasgow
Nathan Matthew Johnson, Pictou
Nicole Marie LeBlanc, New Glasgow
Darrell Alexander Richardson, Pictou
Tyler James Smith, New Glasgow
Ryan Daniel Stewart White, Pictou
Bachelor of Science with Major:
Alannah Lauretta Mary-Lynne Hine, Pictou
Kelsey Erin MacGillivray, Stellarton
Bachelor of Science with Advanced Major:
Sara Elizabeth Bain, Trenton
Arthur Osborne Eagles, Westville
Alia Elizabeth Hack, Stellarton
James Michael McDowell, Eureka
Cheryl Mary Sexton, Stellarton
Bachelor of Science with Advanced Major with Distinction:
Scott Lewis Haslam, Westville
Kara Leigh McLean, Stellarton
Bachelor of Science in Nursing:
Abigail Anne Heighton, River John
Vanessa Evelyn Heighton, Stellarton
Heather Elaine MacDonald, New Glasgow
Mary-Ann Elizabeth MacDonald, Pictou County
Jennifer Nicole MacInnis, New Glasgow
Bachelor of Science in Nursing with Distinction:
Ashley Megan Nicole MacDougall, New Glasgow
Karleigh Danielle Turnbull, Pictou
Bachelor of Science in Nursing with Advanced Major with Distinction
Laura Jean Eagles, Westville
Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics
Renee Susan Breen, New Glasgow
Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics with First Class Honours
Robert Joseph Lavers, Scotsburn
Bachelor of Arts in Human Kinetics
Samantha Dawn Beck, Pictou
Jennifer Rose MacDonald, Westville
Bachelor of Arts with Major
Ashley Suzanne Boudreau, Pictou
Michelle Suzanne Boudreau, New Glasgow
Allison Dawn Coulter, Pictou
Alysha Nicole Crews, Westville
Mary Margaret Fraser, Merigomish
Morgan Elizabeth Gero, New Glasgow
Bobi Marie MacDonald, Westville
Madeline Jessica H MacDonald, River John
Kelsey Lee MacKenzie, Pictou
Blake Nicholas Ross, Pictou
Erika Jane Salter, Westville
Erin Lee Salter, Pictou
Erika Lauren Sloan, New Glasgow
Shannon Elizabeth White, New Glasgow
Bachelor of Arts with Major with Distinction
Deborah Lee Clark, New Glasgow
Bachelor of Arts with Advanced Major
Kristian Tyler Alexander MacMillan, New Glasgow
Bachelor of Arts with Advanced Major with Distinction
Natalie Elizabeth Higgs, New Glasgow
Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours
Oliver Cresswell, River John
Gregory Hector MacLean, New Glasgow
Bachelor of Arts in Music (Jazz Studies)
John Archibald MacLeod, Stellarton
Bachelor of Arts in Music (Jazz Studies) with Honours
Robyn Louise Alcorn, New Glasgow
Ian Allison Grant, New Glasgow
Bachelor of Business Administration
Zahra Arshad Haider, New Glasgow
Bachelor of Business Administration with Major
Aaron James Dunsiger, New Glasgow
Bachelor of Business Administration with Major with Distinction
Ivan Charles Lewis, New Glasgow
Bachelor of Information Systems with Major
Paul Jeffrey Nelson, New Glasgow
